 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Abu Sayyaf" Islamic State leader – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Abu Sayyaf | |
|---|---|
ابو سياف | |
| Overseer of gas and oil operations of theIslamic State | |
| In office 201?[a] – 16 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Unknown |
| Succeeded by | Unknown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Fathi bin Awn bin Jildi Murad al-Tunisi فتحي بن عون بن الجلدي مراد التونسي |
| Died | (2015-05-16)May 16, 2015 EasternSyria |
| Citizenship | Tunisia |
| Spouse | Umm Sayyaf |
| Parent | Awn bin Jildi Murad (father) |
| Occupation | Islamist militant |
| Nickname | Abu Sayyaf |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Islamic State |
| Years of service | 20??[b]-2015 |
| Battles/wars | Syrian civil war |
Fathi bin Awn bin Jildi Murad al-Tunisi (Arabic:فتحي بن عون بن الجلدي مراد التونسي), also known by thenom de guerreAbu Sayyaf (Arabic:ابو سياف), was aTunisian senior leader of theIslamic State (IS) who was described as overseeing gas and oil operations.[1] Abu Sayyaf was killed on the night of May 15–16, 2015 while resisting capture during aUnited States ArmyDelta Force operation in easternSyria.[2]
The operation was conducted to try to capture him and his wife on suspicion of their involvement in, or "deep knowledge" of Islamic State hostage operations.Kayla Mueller is reported to have been a "personal captive" of Abu Sayyaf.[3] No U.S. soldiers were killed or injured during the operation.[4]
It was the first direct action ground raid targeting the militant group by U.S. soldiers inside Syria. (aprevious U.S. ground operation in Syria was a rescue mission). Items, including several terabytes of data from laptops, cellphones and other material, were recovered from the scene and exploited for intelligence purposes.[5][6][7] More information was collected in the raid than any other inUnited States special operations forces history.[8] Among the objects found there are archaeological finds, which prove the involvement of IS inillicit antiquities trade.[9] The operation was launched fromIraq, with the "full consent of Iraqi authorities."[10]
A senior administration official said that the administration had assessed it likely that Abu Sayyaf was in direct contact with Islamic State leader and self-proclaimed caliph,Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.[11]
Abu Sayyaf's wife, known by the nom de guerre "Umm Sayyaf" and said to be an IS member, was captured during the operation. A youngYazidi woman who appeared to be held as a slave of the couple was freed.[1][10]
A senior administration official told CNN that Abu Sayyaf was a Tunisian citizen.[2]Hisham al-Hashimi, an Iraqi researcher on IS and security threats, said that al-Jabouri was "a close associate of chief IS spokesmanAbu Mohammed al-Adnani."[2]
On 19 May 2015, United States authorities identified Abu Sayyaf's real name asFathi Ben Awn Ben Jildi Murad al-Tunisi.[12]
We suspect that Umm Sayyaf is a member of ISIL, played an important role in ISIL's terrorist activities, and may have been complicit in the enslavement of the young woman rescued last night.